Apple Pie Lie
by Quixotic Cervantes
Summary: Dean's life after the Apocalypse.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything...except my laptop.

PS- I apologize in advance for my "breaks" in here. For some reason ff.n isn't letting me do my usual breaks and I honestly hate using the full horizontal line.

* * *

It's been two weeks since the Apocalypse ended abruptly in that run-down little cemetery outside Lawrence, Kansas.

Two weeks Dean has been crashing in Lisa's guest bedroom- sleeping off twenty years of sleep deprivation. Dreams no longer plague him, in sleep or in waking.

But mostly, it's been two weeks of Dean trying to pretend that the Apocalypse hadn't meant the end of his world.

**break**

For the first month, Dean doesn't say much. He quietly eats and exists because, really, what is there to say?

Bobby tries calling daily, but Dean ignores the call in favor of the whiskey bottle he has hidden in the drawer of his night stand.

Eventually the calls stop.

He can see worry in Lisa's eyes as he destroys a Bible he found lying in his trunk. But, as he's about to give some crap explanation, she smiles sadly and says dinner was in ten minutes. She knows that, like every soldier after war, Dean needs time to come to terms with what he's seen.

**break**

It's Ben that finally snaps him out of it. Dean was sitting in his room, staring at a picture of Sam and Castiel he had taken after a hunt, when he heard the door open.

He looks up to see Ben peeking in and motions that it's alright if he wants to come in.

The shy, but pleased, smile on Ben's face is what does it. He tells Ben all the best memories he has of his brother, his best friend. How much fun they had and a couple of ridiculous stories and dangerous moments they shared. He even tells him a little about Cas.

He skims over the darker details, deciding to tell Ben when he's older. And when he tells Ben this, the boy hugs him- because it means Dean plans to be there to tell him.

**break**

Dean begins to live again after that. Doing his best to keep his promise to Sam. _An apple pie life_.

He forges one last set of documents: a valid license, degree, and resume and applies for an open position at a nearby auto repair shop.

Lisa smiles at him in a way that makes him think he really can be happy here.

**break**

He calls Bobby for the first time after two months. Because even playing house can't fill the void left by the simultaneous loss of his brother and one of the few friends he's ever had.

The feeling he gets when Bobby- the only family he has left- answers the phone is unexpected. And, though he doesn't cry, he chokes out an apology as soon as he hears Bobby's voice.

Bobby just tells him to stop by for a beer when he's in the area, and Dean knows they're alright.

**break**

After three months Dean is in a comfortable routine. He goes to work, helps make dinner, watches Ben play his little league games and continues to build a relationship with Lisa.

But the secret compartment in the Impala remains. Not a single item has been removed.

Dean thinks about those he lost in his life and occasionally prays to Cas- the only heavenly being he's ever prayed to. He prays because at least he knows everyone will get the message.

He wonders if prayers can reach his brothers, too.

**break**

It's when Dean tries moving into Lisa's room that the cold truth hits him.

He didn't feel the sense of completion he always had in his dreams.

He has what he's always secretly yearned for- a normal life, with a normal job, and a relationship with the promise of a wife and kids- hell he's already trying to be a dad to Ben.

But he wakes up holding Lisa and all he can think about is the danger he had put her in, the dangers that still lurk in the darkness of the world.

He still looks for hunts, and finds himself cleaning his weapons, preparing for the next encounter.

Dean thinks it really sucks that the life he's always wanted isn't the life he wants after all.

**break**

Lisa and Ben are both sad and upset when they come home from a back-to-school event to see Dean sitting on the porch, his faded duffle bag packed and lying on the steps next to him.

Lisa seems to understand. Despite their efforts they both knew, deep down, that Lisa could never be quite what Dean needed; Dean can never be what they deserve.

Ben runs to his room before Dean can say anything. Dean sighs and hates that he can't be the father Ben wants, that he can't be the father he wanted to be to him.

But he still leaves, knowing he can always be there when they need him.

**break**

It's been four months.

_Forty years_.

Dean couldn't stop the thought from running through his mind. That night, he drinks until he passes out.

**break**

'_Woah we're half way there, woah-oh we're living on a prayer!'_

Dean shoots awake at the ring-tone and stares at his vibrating phone. He's shaking, whether from being hung-over or the fear he feels gripping his heart he's not sure.

Only one person had that ring-tone, it had been Dean's slight way of mocking Sam's choice in music and faith in a god that didn't seem to give a damn.

And Dean thinks it just beat "Ramble On" as his favorite song as it plays on his phone.

He reaches over and looks at the caller information.

"Sam (212)-555-0134"

He flips the phone open, knowing at any second it will stop ringing.

"Sammy?"

"…Hey, Dean."

And all at once Dean is feeling a myriad of emotions: joy, relief, thankfulness, anger, regret, and he can't stop himself from doubling over, covering his watering eyes as if Sam can see it if he cries.

"Where are you?" Sam's voice reaches him again, a bit of frustration seeping in.

"Where…dude, where are you? Maybe you didn't notice but you kind of jumped into a Devil brand cage!" Thoughts are racing through Dean's mind. _Can this really be Sammy? Am I dreaming? _

"I'm heading to South Dakota, Sam. I wanted to see Bobby." He's playing it off, trying to be cool. He should be used to people coming back to life by now, but this. This certainly takes the cake.

"Why aren't you at Lisa's? You promised, Dean." Dean almost laughs at the thought of Sam scrunching his face and squaring his shoulders- as if they can physically see each other and fight over the phone.

Some things don't change.

"I was there. It…it was weird, Sammy." he ignores that he's using his brothers nickname more than usual, he can't stop himself. As the conversation lengthens, hope builds in his chest.

Hope. He hadn't felt that in a long time.

"Dean, are you planning to go hunt?"

And there it is. Reality crashing around.

_Yes_, he thinks,_ I am going to hunt. I'm going to hunt because I couldn't sleep at night knowing what I know and not doing anything to stop it._

"I guess I just can't give up the hunt, Sammy. That life, it wasn't for me." Dean says, acceptance of the fact has finally set in. And he realizes, it's true.

He can't quit the job, and he knows that now. Complacency wasn't his way, and it never had been. He realizes that despite the fact that he's been through more shit in his life than anyone should go through…the last five years of his life had truly been…awesome.

"Dean?"

He hears Sam calling him from the other end, he wonders how many times Sam has said his name.

"Sammy, I tried. Really, man, I did. But here's the thing…"

He turns around, glad his senses hadn't failed him. There stood two people he thought he would never see again. Though Lisa and Ben seemed to be his chance at atonement and normalcy, he realized it now: That was never meant to be his life.

Sam standing there, cell phone in hand and Cas's hand on his shoulder was pretty much all he needed…and wanted.

Resignedly, Dean hangs up his phone before finishing his sentence:

"I found out I really don't like apple pie."

"_And 'Team Free Will' was reunited, demons finally vanquished. It was time to live, time for them to get exactly what they asked for._

_More of the same."_

God looked at His laptop, a look of consternation gracing His Holy features. He thought the first ending had been hard, this was downright unfair.

But, He chuckled, there were fans to please.

He was just glad He wasn't forced to kill Lisa off like all the other women.

* * *

AN: Alright, so I've had this on my computer for about a week debating whether or not it was worth putting up considering there are probably a million and a half of these up already but I decided "What the hell."

So, I hope you all enjoyed this. If not, well, at least it was only 1,400 words right?


End file.
